Professional Boundaries
by m-is-for-MollyMansfieldMealing
Summary: What if the Downton fire never happened in Lady Edith's room? What the blaze occured downstairs, in the living room of our beloved Elsie Hughes? Chelsie one-shot :D


**Hello there! This is my first attempt at a Downton one-shot- I'm new to the fandom having finished series 5 today. Chelsie are my OTP and have been since series 1, so I thought I'd try my hand at writing them a quick fic!**

 **I usually write for BBC Casualty so this is a big change, but I'm sure I'll improve as I re-watch the episodes! (I hadn't a clue what was going on for most of series 1) :D**

 **I hope you like this despite the bad quality and I'm sure, many inaccuracies! Reviews are always welcomed, even if it's just to say hi xD -Sophie x**

* * *

It was late; Downton had just finished hosting a dinner party to celebrate the engagement of Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley, and all below stairs were exhausted. Mrs Hughes, Carson and Mrs Patmore were the only ones still awake, and were sat in Elsie's living room having a nightcap.

"If this is just the engagement then lord help us when they set a date." The cook yawned, putting her small glass back on the tray and standing. "I'm going up, night both of you."

"Night Mrs Patmore." Carson nodded as she left, before he sighed and stood up too.

"I suppose I should go up too, I have to be up early tomorrow as Lady Rosamund is due at the crack of dawn."

"Poor you." Mrs Hughes said sympathetically, going to open the door. "Goodnight Charles."

"Sleep well Mrs Hughes."

The woman just rolled her eyes. "We've known each other for how long now? It's about time you started calling me Elsie you know."

"I didn't even know that was your name until last year!" He exclaimed. "Anyhow, it feels too informal. Rather like calling his Lordship, dare I say it, _Robert_."

"Oh Mr Carson, really-"

"Yes Mrs Hughes!" He interrupted. "Really. We work together, we need to maintain professional boundaries. I can just about accept you calling me Charles when no-one else is around, but that it the extent of it."

Elsie sighed, knowing when she wasn't going to win.

"Fine. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

And with that the butler left, shutting the door gently behind him. Mr Hughes went to sit opposite her fire to read the paper; she'd barely had the time that day and wanted nothing more than to sit in peace.

Before long, the headlines began to swim in front of her eyes: "Police arrest 26 years old male for theft…", "Labour government may be on the cards at last…", "Record numbers of young females in service figures show…".

Soon enough, the housekeeper was sound asleep.

As her breathing slowed down and figure relaxed, the paper began to ever-so-slowly slide from the tops of her knees until it fell to the floor. Large, thin pages billowed out in front of her, floating gently to rest upon her faded rouge carpet. Only some ventured a little further than the carpet…

…

At around 1am the following morning, Anna woke from the most confusing dream. She blinked a few times before trying to figure out what had woken her- Baxter was still fast asleep in the bed next to her and all seemed silent. Still muddled from slumber, the maid decided to go downstairs and make herself some cocoa to ease her back to sleep.

However, as she reached the lower sets of stairs the dusty scent of smoke began to tickle at her nostrils. Anna frowned before glancing down the middle of the stairs, only to find a large haze of grey smoke blocking her view. She dashed down the remaining stairs, pulling the sleeve of her nightgown over her nose and mouth as she reached the bottom.

"Hello?" The woman called out, her eyes beginning to burn as she looked in each doorway she came across until she reached the hottest part of the corridor; the housekeeper's living room. After wafting away some of the smoke, Anna could just about make out the slumped figure of Mrs Hughes.

"No!" She screamed, forgetting where she was as she started coughing. Now running, the maid retraced her steps and with all her energy darted to the Lord and Lady's bedroom.

"I'm sorry to barge in your lordship but there's a fire, you must come quick!" The maid spilled in a hurry. The two sat bolt upright in their beds before the man began to move.

"My God. Is there anyone down there?"

"Mrs Hughes." Her eyes pricked, and Cora gasped before getting out of bed herself.

"I'll fetch Matthew and Tom, you go wake the girls. Get one of them to call the fire station in the village immediately." Robert reeled off, pulling on his dressing gown and immediately leaving the room.

"She'll be alright Anna. Come on." The older woman soothed as the two ladies did as they were told. Once the family were safely outside, the servants started to file out, every single one of them sick to the stomach with worry. However, Mary soon realised that there was one servant missing and her heart dropped.

"Anna where's Carson? Mama, have you seen Carson anywhere?" She said urgently, the fear evident as her voice trembled. He may be their butler, but he was a well-loved and well-valued member of the household.

"No…" The same thought reached both women at the same time and their mouths fell open with shock.

He must have gone down to the servant's quarters.

…

The blaze had spread since the paper caught alight, and ferocious flames flickered on all four walls. From the doorway, Robert, Matthew and Tom were trying to stop the fire moving any further inwards until loud, frantic footsteps filled their ears and another man joined their party.

"I heard one of the hall boys say it was here." Carson panted, trying to peer through the smoke. "Anything I can do m'lord?"

"You shouldn't be here Carson." Robert warned him. "Go outside with the others, now."

"But why when you need the help here m'lord, if you don't mind me asking?"

He doesn't know who's in there, he thought suddenly before coughing slightly.

"I do mind you asking now leave, that's an order!" The Earl shouted, but it was too late; the butler caught sight of the figure sat in the chair, and he knew her too well to mistake it.

"Oh no." He breathed, left reeling for a moment whilst he took in what was truly happening. She couldn't be there, this couldn't be happening…

 _No_ …

"No." he said determinedly, rolling down the sleeves on his pajama shirt and before any of the men could stop him, ran into the burning room.

The heat hit him first, around his ankles where the flames licked at his bare skin like a sly ginger tom. Then it was his face; all of a sudden it felt like he couldn't breathe because it was so hot, and the heat just infiltrated the oxygen and stole what was left.

Gritting his teeth, the butler took shallow breaths and moved to the chair where Mrs Hughes was sat. Choosing, for the first time in his entire employment at Downton Abbey to ignore Robert's instructions to leave that instant, he slipped his hands beneath the woman's back and legs before lifting her up. He staggered back slightly before regaining his balance, adjusting his grip so it was easier to carry her. Then, with his unconscious colleague limp in his arms and adrenaline shooting through his veins, Carson stumbled through the flames once more before crying out in pain.

"Let me get her Mr Carson." Tom held out his arms just as the fire crew reached the corridor. The butler just shook his head and followed a medic outside to where everyone was huddled by the fire engine. He couldn't let her go, not when she needed him the most.

There were gasps and screams as he emerged, and Sybil and Dr Clarkson were already setting up a table to examine her on. As Carson laid her down, his breath caught in his throat; which wasn't anything to do with the smoke.

"Will she be alright?" He wheezed before dissolving into a fit of coughs. Sybil fetched him a chair and sat him down next to the bed.

"Mrs Hughes will be fine Carson, please don't worry yourself. She's strong, at worst it looks like bad smoke inhalation. She'll just need rest for a few days once she wakes up."

"Thank heavens." He breathed. He stayed there as her throat was examined and the two medics went to tell Robert the good news.

"You gave us all such a scare." The butler sighed, hesitating before reaching out and taking her hand between his. It was warm and soft beneath his touch, and he liked that very much. It was comforting, soothing his nerves almost.

"First the cancer scare, then the whole Ethel business, then all the trouble with Mr Barrow and now this… What are we going to do with you Elsie?" He whispered, glancing around to make sure no-one was looking before kissing her hand.

All of a sudden, the housekeeper let out a chesty cough, her body jerking with the pain and effort it took to clear her lungs.

"A kiss…and you called me…Elsie… You'd better…watch out Charles…we'll be…getting married…next." Mrs Hughes croaked between wheezes. Her bright blue eyes were open again, and sparkling more than ever as she turned her head to face him. Carson's face lit up and he squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"Never try anything like that again. I don't think my heart could take it."

"Literally…or…symbolically?"

The man looked down at her and could do nothing but smile as the family walked over. He kissed her hand once more before letting it gently rest on the bed.

"Both, Elsie Hughes. Both."


End file.
